Training Pre season training

[gringo2011]

Mate tbh Jamie Cox Peta searle Chowy Watters pelchen hanners Ahmet Lee ratts auntie lethers and plenty of others.
Wtf were we on?

None of our leaders had any vision or passion for on field success. Bassat has been the best thing to happen to the club in ages. He is driven and has a plan to get a pro set up in place. Build the foundation well and you get the kind of systems that have Geelong and Sydney always around the mark decade after decade.

 

[gringo2011]

And people complained when we cleared the decks and got Ross ( and others) to bring us up to a level of professionalism that might get us somewhere.

Way back I did not want to just change for its own sake. But nothing better was in the offing. Ross and his take no prisoners attitude was always going to take us forward, albeit with casualties. Some might have been harsh. But that’s sport at the highest level.

Ross is/was a controversial appointment but he is more than a coach. He's built the footy department and is an architect for how it all operates. We had gone so far off the path that we had no idea where to start to fix it.

The club is operating like proper AFL standard club now. The off field set up doesn't guarantee success but without it you can almost guarantee that you won't succeed.

 

[gringo2011]

Nothing has become more apparant to me in the last 10 years is the club wide standards from the boot strapper to the recruitment and development team, to the board have to be focused -everyone has to be on the bus -to look at the club now compared to Ratts and

who was that scotsman that dragged us to Seaford over a few poker machines ..........

Archie Fraser.

 

[akaifu]

Not sure about this. You can definitely make this narrative work but I think it ignores the advances in drafting over the past 10- 20 years. It is far more rigorous and scientific than it was even 10 years ago. There are less misses and draftees strengths and weaknesses are far more exposed and understood. Add to this that the kids today are developed to play an AFL style game from a very young age, often identified at age 11 or 12 to be put on an accelerated program, they come into the AFL system ready to play.

I do think there has been a player development issue at St Kilda (and really who knows if that has been resolved). If you look just at he St Kilda busts you list - some of them had very obvious flaws in their game or personal make up.

But I suspect that equally the advances in the draft process and exposure of draftees leads to less busts - particularly in the early rounds.

Oh 100%, there are probably several other factors

But I think without Damian Carroll, the standards wouldn’t be as high as they are at present - didn’t mean to credit him with all of the improvement but he’s still had a strong impact

 

[The Cobra]

And people complained when we cleared the decks and got Ross ( and others) to bring us up to a level of professionalism that might get us somewhere.

Way back I did not want to just change for its own sake. But nothing better was in the offing. Ross and his take no prisoners attitude was always going to take us forward, albeit with casualties. Some might have been harsh. But that’s sport at the highest level.

Thank you V66 - absolutely on the money!

We are now professional, driven, have a focus on development, a clear game plan (run & more run) & draft accordingly. Clearly if you are not up to standard as a player or off field and/or haven’t bought in to the plan you are gone.

The plan also includes Boris as RTBs successor - like it. I can foresee RTB continuing in a more managerial Football Director role.

This is the pathway to improvement and success plus a little bit of luck (injuries, fixture, tribunal & bounce of the ball!).

As we all know improvement isn’t linear but I am really positive about the trend over the next few years.

 

[Saintbloke]

Thank you V66 - absolutely on the money!

We are now professional, driven, have a focus on development, a clear game plan (run & more run) & draft accordingly. Clearly if you are not up to standard as a player or off field and/or haven’t bought in to the plan you are gone.

The plan also includes Boris as RTBs successor - like it. I can foresee RTB continuing in a more managerial Football Director role.

This is the pathway to improvement and success plus a little bit of luck (injuries, fixture, tribunal & bounce of the ball!).

As we all know improvement isn’t linear but I am really positive about the trend over the next few years.

All good, but Lyon needs to get the team into the finals in 2025 and at least win a final- if he can't achieve that in his third year, then we need to question his appointment in the first place. Boris would be a great choice for head coach, but I know Geelong are extremely keen to get him back in the fold.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

All good, but Lyon needs to get the team into the finals in 2025 and at least win a final- if he can't achieve that in his third year, then we need to question his appointment in the first place. Boris would be a great choice for head coach, but I know Geelong are extremely keen to get him back in the fold.

Ok. Nooby Boris. Is a better coach than Lyon. Because he was a good player? I'll take your word for it

 

[Desperate saint]

All good, but Lyon needs to get the team into the finals in 2025 and at least win a final- if he can't achieve that in his third year, then we need to question his appointment in the first place. Boris would be a great choice for head coach, but I know Geelong are extremely keen to get him back in the fold.

RL has had a massive turnover of players in the last 2 years -we have all just spoken about the Ross inspired complete overhaul that the club needed -I think 2026 will be the time to start really shining-i am thinking a maybe 6/7/8 finish this year-then enter an era of sustained success

 

[saintmike65]

I think i have him just in the 22, but its a tight thing.

He’s definitely in my best 22..

 

[saintmike65]

Oh 100%, there are probably several other factors

But I think without Damian Carroll, the standards wouldn’t be as high as they are at present - didn’t mean to credit him with all of the improvement but he’s still had a strong impact

Carroll now has strong support in Lenny, Bolton and Goddard

 

[saintmike65]

To be fair he probably performed to expectation for his age until he started getting constant minor injury. He just didn't have the right psychology to carry a side or step above the average player. If he'd been able to be a classy finisher in a exceptional side he would have been a gun.

We definitely seem to be finding guys with real drive now. Phillipou, Wilson, Garcia and Widhager all seem to have a real hunger for success and set standards. Even Bynes types have it too. He does every extra session possible and does extra in the off season.

Owens and Travaglia have that drive also!

 

[saintmike65]

Richo was all about telling players that they weren't very good so try to take others down to your level. You'd listen to him and want to give up. He was like some dour religious cult leader that encouraged self flagellation. Imagine being lead by a negative voice, having minimal staff and low energy training.

We drafted badly but the ones that might have needed early guidance to meet expectation got neglected at exactly the wrong time. I still think we were focussed on a very specific type of excessively nice type of kid too.

The Elshau years, when choir boys were priorities

 

[saintmike65]

Billings lacked swagger. It held him back immensely.

They knew what they were getting…no way we’d have picked him if Dalrymple was recruiting then!
Would’ve got Bont for sure but hey, hindsight & all that!!

 

[saintmike65]

I agree I think there is football criticism and then just ridiculous stuff that gets said about players after they leave us. Just not required!

JB was a good person and clubman for a long time. It didn’t work out for him the way he, the club or us would have wanted but he still put in the work, copped the injuries and was a model citizen during his time.

If we picked him at the pick we got Van Ess or Allison we would be saying he made a solid contribution’s. He didn’t decide the pick.

Most clubs had him around that pick, but in hindsight his natural build and body didn’t allow him to run at the level for long enough that the good high HF’s or wingman do. I thought he did for one half of one season and then broke down again which made it tough for him.

Hard to predict that it’s a pretty fine line!


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Not his fault he got picked at #3..over 170+ games is a fair effort

 

[ScrappyDo]

All good, but Lyon needs to get the team into the finals in 2025 and at least win a final- if he can't achieve that in his third year, then we need to question his appointment in the first place. Boris would be a great choice for head coach, but I know Geelong are extremely keen to get him back in the fold.

And what good does questioning his appointment do. He's either the right guy or he's not, but an arbitrary line in the sand is not the measure.
Another injury run like last year you can forget it, so why set yourself up for disappointment and the inevitable vitriol if things don't pan out like you demand 9 months out from the outcome.

 

[Sully111]

where in the beginning you like Bilbo, but by the end of it you just can't look at his hopeless head and his stupid feckin' big eyes for a second longer, and just wish he'd get F*cked by an Orc.

And the choir shouts Amen!

Preach brother tomjoad.

 

[ScrappyDo]

RL has had a massive turnover of players in the last 2 years -we have all just spoken about the Ross inspired complete overhaul that the club needed -I think 2026 will be the time to start really shining-i am thinking a maybe 6/7/8 finish this year-then enter an era of sustained success

It's not just turnover, it also replacing them with draftees. Our net loss of experience is enormous so it can only be a step backwards which was masked by a sugar hit in year 1.
I agree with your projection though. The youth we're needing to step up should be starting to hit their straps in 2026 and this year will be trying to bed that group in with the W/L a matter of both chance and good management.

King
Coops
Chito
Windy
Pou
Hugo
Wilson
Schoonermonster?
Byrnes?
Henry*
This is the determining group, Nas is already a star. We're shackled to our age profile and there's no point getting our knickers in a twist if we don't greatly exceed what that implies.

 

[jwikked]

All good, but Lyon needs to get the team into the finals in 2025 and at least win a final- if he can't achieve that in his third year, then we need to question his appointment in the first place. Boris would be a great choice for head coach, but I know Geelong are extremely keen to get him back in the fold.

I kinda agree, this is the year where we need to see a definite improvement list wide. Last year was a decent year, but still fell short far too often.

I don't think questioning his appointment is necessary, even if he left today, he leaves the club in a much better condition than when he arrived. But there are no excuses this year for a bottom 6 finish.

 

[Ricmel]

I don't think questioning his appointment is necessary, even if he left today, he leaves the club in a much better condition than when he arrived. But there are no excuses this year for a bottom 6 finish.

Have to agree. We see it time and again...master premiership coach goes from flag winning team to struggle town and all of a sudden they are no longer master premiership coach.

Not a huge Brereton fan but sometimes he says things that absolutely make sense. It is list, list, list, list, list .....coach. If you go back over the last 25 years it is very rare for a team without a star studded midfield to go all the way. Someone said Eagles in 2018 and probably a fair call but there are not many others.

RTB's appointment is not going to make or break the club and very unlikely to be reason for success or otherwise.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Have to agree. We see it time and again...master premiership coach goes from flag winning team to struggle town and all of a sudden they are no longer master premiership coach.

Not a huge Brereton fan but sometimes he says things that absolutely make sense. It is list, list, list, list, list .....coach. If you go back over the last 25 years it is very rare for a team without a star studded midfield to go all the way. Someone said Eagles in 2018 and probably a fair call but there are not many others.

RTB's appointment is not going to make or break the club and very unlikely to be reason for success or otherwise.

The only thing I'd add to that is sometimes they aren't a star until after the premiership

 

[gringo2011]

All good, but Lyon needs to get the team into the finals in 2025 and at least win a final- if he can't achieve that in his third year, then we need to question his appointment in the first place. Boris would be a great choice for head coach, but I know Geelong are extremely keen to get him back in the fold.

He's definitely under pressure to perform next year. If he just misses out or has excuses he can probably justify another year but the bells will start to toll if he has drop off.

 

[gringo2011]

It's not just turnover, it also replacing them with draftees. Our net loss of experience is enormous so it can only be a step backwards which was masked by a sugar hit in year 1.
I agree with your projection though. The youth we're needing to step up should be starting to hit their straps in 2026 and this year will be trying to bed that group in with the W/L a matter of both chance and good management.

King
Coops
Chito
Windy
Pou
Hugo
Wilson
Schoonermonster?
Byrnes?
Henry*
This is the determining group, Nas is already a star. We're shackled to our age profile and there's no point getting our knickers in a twist if we don't greatly exceed what that implies.

We have our best list in years despite age. Draft Guru has us with 4x A graders, 2x B plus (Wang-Mil and Steele), 8x B graders including guys like King, Phillipou etc and bunch of C plus like Webster, Henry and Windhager etc.

2020 1x A grader, 16x Bs and B+ with guys like Frawley, Carlisle, Lonie and Hanners considered B grade.

 

[gringo2011]

Have to agree. We see it time and again...master premiership coach goes from flag winning team to struggle town and all of a sudden they are no longer master premiership coach.

Not a huge Brereton fan but sometimes he says things that absolutely make sense. It is list, list, list, list, list .....coach. If you go back over the last 25 years it is very rare for a team without a star studded midfield to go all the way. Someone said Eagles in 2018 and probably a fair call but there are not many others.

RTB's appointment is not going to make or break the club and very unlikely to be reason for success or otherwise.

Was Richmond star studded? Martin was a star but a part timer. Cotchin was an A grader. Prestia and Edwards very good.

 

[gringo2011]

The only thing I'd add to that is sometimes they aren't a star until after the premiership

Yeah, 2017 Richmond only had Rance considered A+. Reputations forged in finals.

 

[stfan]

I know you started off with "Bilbo Billings" thinking you were being clever.. but thats Frodo Baggins.. so nice try I guess?

Besides if he had of been Bilbo Billings we would have had an adventurous never give up winner!

The protagonist and title character of The Hobbit, Bilbo is by far the novel’s most important figure. Bilbo’s thoughts, feelings, and actions form the focus of the novel and shape its plot. Bilbo’s central role is underscored by his appeal—he is not only the most important but also the most likable and honorable character. Even as the other participants in his quest become corrupted by greed, Bilbo maintains his common sense, courage, and eagerness to please.

Bilbo’s understated charisma is a quality common to many protagonists in children’s literature. Another quality he shares with many heroes of children’s literature is his small size: as a hobbit, Bilbo is only half the size of a man. At the beginning of the novel, Bilbo is, like most hobbits, comfortable and complacent. He loves food, drink, and security, and he relishes his snug little hole at Bag End, Underhill. But as Gandalf says, there is more to Bilbo than meets the eye. Bilbo is a Billings, the heir of a thoroughly respectable and conventional family, but his mother was a Took, an eccentric clan of hobbits noted for their love of excitement and adventure.